Glaurung

Glaurung was the first of the Dragons, and one of the greatest. He first issued from Angband in I 260, but not being fully grown at that time, the Noldor under Fingon were able to drive him back.

In the Dagor Bragollach and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Glaurung was in the vanguard of Morgoth's forces, and having grown to his full power, he wreaked great destruction on those battlefields. In the Nirnaeth, he was driven back to Angband by the heavily armoured Dwarves, though their lord Azaghâl was slain in that battle.

Glaurung led the assault by Morgoth on Nargothrond, and there came across Túrin for the first time. He dwelt in the ruined halls of Finrod Felagund for a while, but came forth at last to seek Túrin. He was slain by Túrin's black sword Gurthang in the Forest of Brethil.

Notes

1

Probably in reference to his golden scales and the cloud of 'dragon-reek' that accompanied him, though ung is more properly 'gloom', 'shadow'. (This derivation is from The History of Middle-earth Volume 5, The Lost Road and Other Writings III The Etymologies).